The Eastern European Vodka Family
by rusticsky
Summary: Natasha had a family before the Avengers. Yelena, Melina, and Alexei. Set a year before Natasha joins SHIELD.
1. The Milk Incident

**This takes place in 2009, right before Natasha comes and joins SHIELD. I'm going purely off the Black Widow trailer here. Natasha is about 24 and Yelena is 12. This first chapter is humorous, but it will grow more... depressing, I guess. Please read and leave a review!**

The incident of the milk fight perhaps all began when Melina opened the refrigerator to find an empty carton of milk. She leaned back and called out, "Who finished the milk?"

Natasha and Yelena, sitting on the couch both reading magazines, looked at each other with convicting looks.

"It wasn't me!" they both seemed to say at the same time.

"She's trying to act like she didn't drink it."

"So are you! I'm lactose intolerant, remember?" Yelena rolled her eyes at Natasha. Yelena was sure to remind them pretty much every time they went to the store.

"The almond milk," Melina added.

"Well, it wasn't me," Yelena looked directly in Natasha's eyes.

"It wasn't me either! And it isn't like it could be Alexei. He isn't home," Natasha raised her voice. "Yelena, just admit you drank the goddamn milk!"

"How about you admit you drank the milk first?"

The fact that Melina didn't entirely give up right then and there was extremely shocking to Yelena and Natasha. She was done with their bullshit as it began, most of the time. Instead, Melina sat back and watched the two, amused.

"This is going nowhere," Melina commented, leaning against the refrigerator door. "It really doesn't matter. Someone's going to have to go grocery shopping."

Yelena groaned, "It won't be me."

"Fine, I'll get it, even though Yelena's a lying bitch," Natasha rolled her eyes. Yelena immediately crossed her arms.

"Excuse me?"

Yelena charged at Natasha and was somehow able to shove Natasha against a wall, but Natasha returned the charge, somewhat pushing Yelena off her. Melina rolled her eyes and drank her tea (black as she did not care if it had milk or not) as this was happening.

Yelena then threw a punch at Natasha. Although much, much younger, Yelena had a strong arm. But Natasha dodged her punch and instead threw one back. Their banter went on for a good ten minutes. That is what happens when two strong fighters duel over the milk. Melina eventually grew annoyed and approached them and their fight. Then Melina did the strongest move of them all.

She grabbed each girl's earlobes.

"God, Melina!" Yelena practically screamed. Natasha cringed through a similar remark, batting at Melina's arm.

"You go to store together, and I give you money to pay for milk. Agreed?"

Both girls sighed, "Agreed."

The ride to the store was deathly silent. Natasha drove, Yelena quiet in the passenger seat. At least this way Yelena wouldn't have to walk (she was too young to legally drive, not that they tended to follow laws).

Once they arrived, Natasha parked the car and the two got out.

"I'll get the milk, you get the chocolate," Natasha couldn't bear to look at Yelena. She was too angry.

"Chocolate? What chocolate?" Yelena frowned.

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Just a few bars of chocolate. You and I deserve a treat. You were able to keep up with me for a long time."

Yelena grinned. The brief month she had away from the Red Room was always so much fun. It was her break from actual hell. Of course, she and Natasha got into fights, but for the most part, it was a time to relax and not worry. Chocolate was a plus.

Yelena went off into the aisles, a grin on her face. She was so excited to pick out some dark chocolate- it was her favorite. Dark for Melina too… Caramel chocolate for Alexei, of course. And… and she'd grab some milk chocolate, maybe for Natasha; her emotions had changed so quickly, and she realized it. One minute ago she'd been ready to rip Natasha's hair from her head and now she thought of her as an older sister.

She grabbed the cheapest chocolate she could find and walked to find Natasha already in line to check out.

"You took long enough," Natasha held the milk in one hand and had the other on her hip. "Hand me the chocolate."

Yelena took a breath and handed Natasha the chocolate. She was anxious to break off a piece and bite into the candy.

Natasha checked out the food and handed the bars of chocolate to Yelena. Yelena waited until they were in the car to open the packaging and enjoy her chocolate. The sweet melted in her mouth. It was so good- she contemplated opening Melina's bar. But Yelena had more self-control.

"You enjoying that?" Natasha was amused. Yelena nodded sharply.

"It's very healthy for you, you know," Natasha rolled her eyes, however, she smiled. Even though Yelena was training to be an assassin, she was still a twelve-year-old girl. Every twelve-year-old girl loved candy. It was nice to see her act like a normal girl.

The rest of the ride was nearly silent. Natasha was focused on driving, and Yelena was busy with her candy. Natasha turned on the radio halfway through and hummed along quietly. Normally Yelena might yell at Natasha to turn it off, but she didn't. Yelena enjoyed music, but this was Celine Dion. Natasha was a total softie for angsty Celine and Barbra.

They arrived back at the house, and Alexei admitted he drank the milk. Melina looked like she was about to die laughing while Natasha and Yelena tried their hardest to not murder Alexei.


	2. Back to School

**Hi! Here's a quick second chapter. It's quite short, clocking in at about 700 words. I know the timing of the fic is off, Natasha would've began working for SHIELD in 2004, but for the sake of the fic I'm keeping them in 2009. ****I'm working on the next chapter, I'm going to post two more. I might update them when the movie comes out and add on a bit. ****Also, I just saw Little Women as well as Fighting with My Family and I literally could not be any more excited to see Florence in Black Widow.**

The family's month together had gone by in a blink. Their brief time together really proved how makeshift they were. Natasha and Yelena fought like sisters, and Melina and Alexei were somewhat similar to their parents. Somewhat. Melina was just annoyed most of the time, and Alexei was always busy eating some weird, exotic food.

No one was happy to get back to their craft, whatever it may be. For Melina and Alexei, it was missions. Natasha was helping out with some mission in America. Yelena had to go back to the trying Red Room academy. She wasn't looking forward to it. Yelena hated the strictness of the training, but that's all she'd ever known.

Yelena was always the first one to go. She never even unpacked her suitcase. Melina and Alexei lived there year-round, Natasha and Yelena were usually the ones to have to always have their bags packed and ready.

Yelena would have to leave behind all her comfy sweat pants and sweatshirts. They sat in their drawer all year only for her to return for a month and not fit into any of them. Melina and Alexei probably grew tired of constantly having to replace them. It was almost traditional, though, for them to give her a new set of clothing upon her arrival.

She didn't want to board the train that would take her near the academy. Only with Natasha's word of encouragement did Yelena even consider getting near the train car. From there on, Alexei had grabbed her shoulders and forced her to walk ner it.

Why did Yelena even try to rebel? She'd be forced back in, no matter what her efforts were.

It broke Natasha's heart, though she wouldn't show it. Natasha had been the same when she was young. No one wanted to go back to the Red Room, under constant fear that you wouldn't make the cut. She'd counted several times when an instructor would tell a girl to kill another for being too weak. Natasha had even killed a peer herself, but she openly regretted it. Yelena was strong, though- that's all anyone could hope.

Once Melina purchased Yelena's train ticket, there was no avoiding the journey to come. Alexei let go of the girl's shoulders and let her board the train, simple as that.

They all waved goodbye to Yelena and gave her their best wishes. The girl sat down, dreadful thoughts circulating through her head. This was only the start of her annual hell.

Natasha looked down. Yelena had broken her emotional wall. Her sight was quite blurry. She blinked, and desperately tried to wipe the tears away.

"Natasha?" Melina asked quietly. "Is everything alright?"

Natasha looked up at Melina, "I…" She couldn't vocalize her problems to Melina, of all people. Melina had been cycled through the Red Room more times than anyone. But maybe she'd understand.

"I feel… so bad… so sorry. For Yelena. She doesn't deserve this."

"No one deserves their fate, Natasha. No matter how hard you try, you can't avoid what's been coming all along."

The two women stood at the train station for a moment, Alexei already back at the car.

"If you had ever had the chance to get out, do you think you would've?" Natasha's face was free of tears.

"I don't think I've ever been that strong," Melina admitted. "That takes courage that isn't trained."

They began walking back to the car.

"Yelena will be fine, Natasha. Focus on your mission, you can leave Russia." Melina added quietly, "You'll leave hell."

Natasha laughed, "You don't know how excited I am, Melina. I've worked on my English harder than anyone, and I finally get to use it full time."

Melina smiled, "My English isn't good, and I've tried hard. Yours is perfection. You will pass easily."

"I guess watching all those American cartoons paid off. I'm forever in Snow White's debt."

The two started dying laughing, leaving Alexei perplexed as he sat in the driver's seat.

"What's so funny?"

At that, Melina practically hyperventilated. She was laughing so hard.

That was rare for Melina.

**If you liked this chapter, leave a review. If you didn't like this chapter, leave a review. You get my point?**

**Anyway, thanks for reading!**

**I'll have out the next chapter soon.**


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